The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for accumulating stacks of paper sheets and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus for simultaneously accumulating several stacks of paper sheets or the like.
It is already known to transport a succession of discrete paper sheets or groups of paper sheets along a predetermined path and to employ a pusher which advances successive sheets or groups of sheets into the range of a transfer member which is reciprocable transversely of the direction of movement of sheets. The transfer member expels a first sheet or group of sheets (hereinafter called sheet) in a first direction during forward movement transversely of the path of advancement of sheets, and the transfer member thereupon expels the next-following sheet in the opposite direction during rearward movement transversely of such path. The transfer member has two parallel surfaces including a front surface which expels a sheet during forward movement and a rear surface which expels a sheet during rearward movement of the transfer member.
An advantage of the just outlined conventional apparatus is that they can accumulate stacks of sheets at a high frequency because each forward and each rearward movement of the transfer member is utilized to expel a sheet from the path which is defined by the conveyor. However, such apparatus also exhibit a serious drawback, namely that the stacks are accumulated at the opposite sides of the path which is defined by the conveyor. Therefore, such apparatus cannot be readily installed in existing edifices for printing, newspaper section gathering and similar plants.